OVERALL: 90%
Difficulty: Easy!
Activision decided to make a GTA competitor and they succeeded! With Nick Chan, a police officer in the L. P. D department, as our hero here. Nick is half Chinese half American guy and the son of a famous cop known as the best cop in LA! Unfortunately, in a drug investigation, Nick's dad was murdered! Now Nick set of to revenge his fathers' death joining the police force and investigating the crime and who's behind all of this mess. Nicks personality is kind of impatient and rushes stuff up! He takes extreme actions and dangerous at the same time but he does the job right! You start of in a shooting practice center, after you finish it successfully, the head of the L. P. D department will come tell you to go to the department for your job and to get the badge (which was taken off Nick for risky actions). When you get there, you will meet you partner, Rosie! A lovely lady and a beginner too! She had such jobs in the past but did not succeed and after finding out Nicks attitudes she kind of regrets but they do get along eventually! Anyways, you are in LA and you will explore the area and go through the story mode. The place is big and detailed and as long as you are a cop you can go around checking everybody! You can flash your badge, shoot a warning shot in to frighten and encourage stronger enemies to surrender.
What's good here is that you can explore the area and while doing so such crimes pops up where solving it is an option and not a must. Those crimes wont affect the story, as they have nothing to do with it. Lots of upgrades for either a vehicle or the combat system where you can learn new fighting moves. You will go through several chapters in the games story and another good point is the multiple endings of the game.
Gameplay (9/10):
From combats to driving, all packed up in a good stylish way. The good combat system with several moves to perform is interesting here! You can kick, punch and do throwing moves along with the side ones like ground attacks and jumping attacks. The driving controls are similar to most driving games. You can perform many stunts or moves by the vehicle like moving on 2 wheels or turning exactly 180 or 360 degrees. Here you have your own collection of cars where you can activate the police alarm and you can earn new cars by competing in the bonus missions after each chapter. The second thing about the gameplay is the combat system, here you get to start with a variety of moves from basic punching to kicking and moving on to combos, throwing attacks and ground attacks. Enemies differ with their exclamation marks where when reduced to non you'll see them dazzed! In such position, it's easier to grapple and do combos. You get to press three buttons and if it starts with the grapple button, which is the 'Y', several throwing attacks can be performed. Like cars, you can earn new upgraded moves or what the game calls it as signature moves by defeating the champ of the bonus mission after completing a chapter. Last but not least, the weapons and aiming system. The auto aiming can be a pain in the neck at times but you can always switch to manual aiming by holding the 'R' button. Notice than by doing so, the screen slows down enabling you to get a more accurate shot or a neutral shot. Neutral shot flashes green when aiming on particular body parts like arms and legs. This does not kill the enemy but defeats him. You can do such moves for encouraging criminals to surrender like flashing the badge or shooting a warning shot, this can be performed by holding 'Z' and pressing 'R' or 'L'.
Graphics (8.5/10):
Overall detailed. Well designed areas and locations. You are in LA! Although you'll find repeated enemies (some looks the same), but the characters are well designed. The facial animations are cool! Smooth textures and well animated environments. Physics aren't especially applied but there are breakable objects like tables when you hit them or send an enemy through them, walls can be broken depending on your speed and force. Simply the interaction is very good indeed here.
Sound (9/10):
Brillant voice talent! Each character has his own voice talent and it shows his personality. Nick sounds cool and a calm guy. The soundtrack played in the game is great too. Variation in music genres from Rock to Hip Hop! By the way, the official game song is called "Streets of LA". The sound effects are top too. Explosions, flames tingling, strikes, crashes, all sounds fine.
Life-Span (9/10):
Well although the story mode isn't the longest around, you keep coming for what the game has to offer. The most things that you'll remember is the city as you can explore it, solve side crimes, bust criminals and look for bones! You'll know why when you find them all. Notice that through plate's secret you can get to play as several other characters. Through the plate number you not only can play by the other characters, you'll get other variety of recognized secrets. Basically the game alone will keep you occupied for a while as even with multiple endings the game has to offer, it falls short in term of long-term length.
Overall (90%):
Not many of the same genres are out there; Activision said that this is a GTA killer! I say this is a GTA competitor not in term of lack of genre but in term of quality! The game has got it's ups and downs but stands tall in term of entertainment and fun. Actually, you'll enjoy the role of a cop for a change here, as you get to bust criminals and saving the day! The driving engine is more detailed here as different maneuvers can be performed. The combat system is better here (fighting engine)! The soundtrack involves hip hop music the most but do contain others. Voice acting is great here too. Although this game has a shorter story mode, the story does follow up through chapters. You get to play a bonus mission after completing each chapter where you choose to upgrade your fighting moves, vehicle by winning a street race or weapon upgrades.
Advice:
Simply this is GTA for the GC! A must own title for those who would like to play a game like GTA on the GC. Decide whether to be a good cop or a bad cop!
Good Points:
1- Multiple endings with impressive story line and personalities.
2- Great voice talents.
3- All versions are similar but I found the GC and PS2 versions to have tighter controls.
4- Freedom to explore the city of LA.
5- It's GTA for the GC.
6- Lot's of things to do using secrets and unlocking in-game extras. (Play as many characters including Snoop Dogg!)
7- It gives you the atmosphere of a movie.
Bad Points:
1- Aiming can be a pain in the neck at times.
2- The camera can be annoying sometimes.
3- What the hell are monsters doing in the game!
4- Not as wide in variety in music as in GTA radio stations.
5- Short story mode.
-Thanks For Reading-
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